Introduction

This document constitutes the Quality Plan of the EMREX project and is an appendix to the Project Management Plan.

Purpose and objectives

Quality Management in a project assures the quality of the project deliverables and the quality of the processes and procedures used to manage and develop the deliverables.

The purpose of this document is to describe the necessary information required to effectively manage project quality, from project planning to delivery, comprising quality objectives in the project, roles and responsibilities, and the Quality Management approach to ensure that the quality objectives are achieved.

The objectives of the Quality Plan are to:

• Define all quality activities.
• Ensure that all project deliverables adhere to quality standards.
• Ensure that all project members are aware of when and how quality activities are to be performed for each deliverable.

The intended audience is the project team and any senior leaders whose support is needed to carry out the plan.

Reviews and approval

This Quality Plan is to be continually reviewed, and any changes to the plan will be handled by the project’s procedure for Change Management.

The plan is approved by the Project Manager.

Definitions

  

Term/Abbreviation

    

Description

  

Confluence

Confluence is team collaboration software used in the project,   amongst others as project repository.

Customer Satisfaction

The customer satisfaction criteria describe when each deliverable   is complete and acceptable as defined by the customer. Deliverables are   evaluated against these criteria.

DBR

Design-Based Research

Design-Based Research

A type of research methodology commonly used by researchers in the   learning sciences. Within Design-Based Research methodology, interventions   are conceptualized and then implemented iteratively in natural settings in   order to test the ecological validity of dominant theory and to generate new   theories and frameworks for conceptualizing learning, instruction, design processes,   and educational reform. Data analysis often takes the form of retrospective,   cross-iteration comparisons. (Wikipedia)

Project Audit

A Project Audit aims to verify if the project is being managed   properly according to the organization’s standards and guidelines, and that   the project plan is being followed. The main purpose of the Project Audit is   to identify any project management errors that may have occurred during the   execution of the project.

Project Review

A Project Review is a “health check” of the project. The main   purpose of the Project Review is to make sure that the project is on time, on   schedule, on scope, and on budget, as well as highlighting key issues the   project is facing.

QA

Quality Assurance

QM

Quality Manager

Quality Assurance

A part of quality management focused on providing confidence that   quality requirements will be fulfilled (ISO9000).

Quality Control

A part of quality management focused on fulfilling quality   requirements (ISO9000).

Quality Management

Quality management includes all the activities that organizations   use to direct, control, and coordinate quality. These activities include   formulating a quality policy and setting quality objectives. They also   include quality planning, quality control, quality assurance, and quality   improvement. (ISO9000)

Quality Objective

A Quality Objective is a quality result that you intend to   achieve. Quality objectives are based on or derived from an organization’s   quality policy and must be consistent with it. They are usually formulated at   all relevant levels within the organization and for all relevant functions.   (ISO9000)

Quality standard

A Quality standard is the measure used to determine;

•   if the project work processes   are being followed,
•   a successful outcome for a   project deliverable.

Review

Review of a specific process or activity in order to verify that   the process or activity is sufficient for its purpose and is applied and   followed.

Solution Validation

A Solution Validation aims to ensure a solution is of sufficient   level of originality.

Stakeholder Expectations

Stakeholder expectations describe when a project process is   effective as defined by the project stakeholders. An example is the review   and approval of all high impact changes to the project.

 

Quality Objectives

The Quality Objectives for Quality Management in the EMREX project are to assure that:

• Project deliverables meet their stated requirements.
• Project processes are appropriately followed.

They answer the questions:

• What is it the project shall achieve, that is, what is the expected result?
• How can we judge if the project is carried out in a good way, so that the expected result is achieved?

The overall Quality Objectives for EMREX are to:

• Deliver a solution that is compliant with legal requirements within all of the European Union.
• Deliver a federated solution that supports the exchange of student data on achievements.
• Deliver a solution which is highly scalable.
• Deliver a solution which can easily be implemented in the whole European community.
• Enable all institutions of higher education to use the information from countries offering the functionality.
• Create an imperative to an institution to offer its own information to be visible also in the Europe-wide information exchange.
• Enhance the recognition of external studies.

Project Management

• Deliver the project in line with approved cost plan.
• Deliver the project in line with approved schedule.
• Minimize any rework to approved deliverables.
• Identify and minimize risks.

Planning

• Develop a field trial plan which ensures that the platform can be properly evaluated.
• Develop an architecture design for the software platform which is highly scalable.
• Develop an architecture design for the software platform which is easy to implement.
• Deliver a report covering any legal obstacles and/or question marks regarding retrieval of student records from another country.

IT Development

• To identify defects as early as possible in the software development lifecycle.
• No deviations from used standards.
• Have no critical or high severity incidents as a result of the software platform implementations during field trial.
• Have minimal or low severity incidents as a result of the software platform implementations during field trial.
• The platform is documented.
• The platform is easy to use.

Trial and Testing

• The field trial is conducted over at least two semesters.
• The field trial is run over sufficient time for the evaluation, which means 15 months.
• At least three countries are participating in the field trial.

• At least 5 universities from each country participating in the field trial.

• At least a total of 100 students are participating in the field trial.

Evaluation

• A validated methodology for evaluation of the software platform for automatic recognition of academic achievements and its impact on student mobility.
• The methodology for evaluation should be possible to use for other field trials.
• Enhanced tools for collecting and analyzing data from field trials.

Standardization

• Enable an easy flow of learner information among HEIs in Europe by providing the need for data models and specifications as proposals for new standards.

Dissemination and Scaling-up

• To adopt a proactive role to communicating with external stakeholders.
• To establish a clear understanding and awareness of the EMREX project amongst HEI´s and students.
• To ensure accurate information is delivered in an open, effective and timely manner.

Quality Management Approach

The quality management approach is about to ensure that all personnel in the project “does the right things, right, the first time”. Thus avoiding misunderstandings of what to produce and how, resulting in productivity losses, quality losses and schedule delays.

This is going to be achieved by

• Early identification and reviews of all quality-impacting documents.
• Reviews of all quality-impacting documents.
• Using the well-defined and anchored quality standards and procedures already in use for each work package.
• Using Customer Satisfaction as a Quality Control tool in case quality standards and procedures are missing and/or there are no documented processes/processes procedures do not exist in any form.

Quality Control

The Quality Control in the project focuses on the deliverables of the project, and monitors them in order to verify they are complete, correct, and of acceptable quality.

Project Deliverables

A list of project deliverables is maintained by the project management, covering:

• ID
• Name
• Type
• Description
• Responsible
• Planned delivery date
• Applied Quality Standards/Customer satisfaction
• Quality Control
• Acceptance Criteria covering
  criteria for completeness and correctness
• Approved by
• Approval date
• Status
• Comments

Quality affecting documents such as this Quality Plan, project plans, work-plans, etc. shall be prepared and controlled in accordance with this Quality Plan and approved processes. These documents shall receive the required reviews and approvals; be uniquely identified, and their distribution must be formally established. Other essential policies, plans, procedures, decision, data and transactions produced by each work package are documented to an appropriate level of detail. Document reviews by subject matter experts; management and Quality Assurance are performed as appropriate and as specified in the referred Quality Standard.

Deliverable Quality Standards

Information and Document Management

Confluence is used for information management within the project. In cases where the information must be documented in a document of any kind the  project templates shall be used.

Quality Control Activities

In the project deliverables list quality control activities are specified for each deliverable.

The main quality control activity to determine whether the results conform to requirements is Inspection, which is to be carried out in different forms;

Examining

Document Review

Methodically go through the document to be examined, to verify the quality of the document, validate the content, identify faults and shortcomings, and to disseminate knowledge of its content.

Solution Validation

Aims to ensure a solution is of sufficient level of originality.

Solution validations shall be part of the quality procedures in all Work Packages, but may also be called for by Project Management or be part of the project reviews.

Code Review

Code Reviews will be done in various forms such as pair programming, informal walkthroughs, and formal inspections.

Testing

Testing (functional and non-functional) against defined acceptance criteria.

Quality Assurance

The focus of the Quality Assurance is on the processes used in the project. The Quality Assurance aims to ensure that the processes in the project and the work packages are used effectively to develop quality project deliverables.

Project Processes

Following processes will be under control of Quality Assurance:

• Project Management
• Systems Development
• Field trial

Process Quality standards

Project Management

The method used in the project for Project Management is based on PMBOK.

Quality Assurance Activities

Project Audit

Project Audits will be conducted in order to measure the application of the approved Project Plan and discover deviations that can be negative for the project.

Planned:             Annually

Participants:      Project Manager, Quality Manager and Work Package Leads

Result:                Recommended actions.

Documentation: Project Audit Report

Project Review

Project Reviews will be conducted in order to discover any deviations from and/or risks related to time, schedule, scope, and budget which can threaten the project and/or the outcome of the project.

Planned:              Upon request

Participants:       Project Manager, Quality Manager and Work Package Leads

Result:                 Recommended actions.

Documentation:  Project Review Report

Quality Audit

Quality Audits will be conducted in order to o measure the application of the approved Quality Plan and discover deviations that can be negative for the project and/or the outcome of the project.

Planned:             Annually

Participants:      Project Manager, Quality Manager and Work Package Leads

Result:                Recommended actions.

Documentation: Project Audit Report

Review

A Review may be called for by anyone in the project in order to verify that a process or activity is sufficient for its purpose and is applied and followed.

Participants:      Quality Manager and Work Package Lead

Result:                Recommended actions.

Documentation: Review Report

Roles and responsibilities

Project Manager

The Project Manager is accountable for Quality Management in the project and approves the Quality Plan.

Quality Manager

The role of Quality Manager reports to the Project Manager and aims to ensure that the deliverables of the project are fit for purpose, is consistent and meets both external and internal requirements. This includes regulatory compliance and customer expectations. The Quality Manager conducts quality assurance activities like audits and reviews to ensure that processes and procedures in the project are sufficient for their purpose and are applied and followed.

The role includes responsibility for:

• Devise and establish the project’s quality procedures, standards and specifications.
• Review project requirements and makes sure they are met.
• Compile, assess and set standards for quality.
• Establish and maintain control and documentation procedures.
• Monitor performance by gathering relevant data and produce quality reports.
• Make suggestions for changes and improvements and how to implement them.
• Manage reported deviations from the Quality Plan, either by ensuring that the Quality Plan is followed, or through a Change Request adapting the Quality Plan to better reflect the reality of the project.

Work Package Lead

The Work Package Lead participates in the work to together with the Quality Manager compile and customize Quality Objectives and Standards for the Work Package, ensure compliance with those standards, and to report deviations and needs for changes to the Quality Manager.

Project Member

Although the Quality Manager is responsible for Quality Management in the project, all project members are responsible to follow the Quality Plan and report directly to Work Package Lead or the Quality Manager when one considers that the quality plan deviates from reality, or that it is not followed.

The list below list and describe the tools that the project will utilize to help manage and control quality on the project.

• Confluence
• Templates

Reporting

The quality reporting is part of the project reporting.